Photography

When shooting video, night sky.

In Photos I use it rarely. Only if the Autofokus doesn't know which Person it should focus when there are a few people in the frame.

When shooting with my Zeiss lenses.

I use manual focus for macro photography and film photography. On my X-T5, the focus peaking is really good, so it helps a ton for getting focus right w/ my macro lens. Also there are sometimes instances where autofocus struggles, like low light, or if there's a fence in front of my subject (like at the zoo), so I switch to manual focus to force it to focus on what I want rather than what is closer.

On my OM-10, there's just no choice but to manual focus lol. It works well enough.

I use manual focus when my lens doesn't have the ability to auto focus.

I both bob back and forth while adjusting focus in both directions. Hopefully something comes out.

Astro stuff and nowhere else, unless AF literally isn’t an option. All AF all the time for paid work. I don’t pay big bucks for fancy cameras with fancy AF systems to fuck around with manual focus and miss a shot for a client.

I cannot use manual focus I am too blind for that

I use it on a tripod when I have used the live screen preview (Canon 70D) and zoomed in to where I want the focus and it's not in focus enough.

This might be my problem though. May have dropped the camera from a small height onto the lens, years ago.

I'm sure mirrorless is different, but traditional AF can be finicky. Additionally, I use my camera tethered most of the time and it is the first Generation Canon DPAF, and sometimes it just doesn't want to focus, and since my lens is STM and doesn't have full-time manual, I have to switch it to MF on a fairly frequent basis.

when shooting extreme bokeh shots of mostly nature subjects, astro, macro stuff

Never. I dont own any AF lenses.

If I was doing events or sports, then sure, but the kind of photography I do I find AF to take part of the joy away. Love a good all manual lens.

• To set my initial focus point for a focus bracket.
• For close shooting where a want a specific item in focus (parts of a flower or whatever).
• For Milky Way shots (fine tune starts to bright points)
• Fireworks. Focus on a landmark near the launch site and flip to manual to lock in focus.

Just a handful off the top of my head.

100% of the time - vintage lenses w/peaking.

Astrophotography!

Always. I have no AF 🤷‍♀️

Using hyper focal distance with landscape.

Those of us "of a certain age" remember only having manual focus. It was really easy to see if something was in focus because you usually had split-image focusing. When the images lined up, you were in focus. Most digital cameras, at least the ones I have used, are difficult to focus visually alone, so some have a focus indicator light in the viewfinder that tell you when you are in focus when using manual. Some will go into a magnifying mode to allow a better view of sharpness.

So, no, you are not wrong that manually focusing a modern camera is not easy.

That said, I only use manual focus to lock in what my autofocus has done, especially when shooting video and I don't want autofocus to "hunt" during a shot.

My usual focus method is: I set the focus mode to single point, and keep it on the center. I use that indicator to pick my focus point, focus by holding the shudder halfway, then re-compose if needed before fully depressing the shutter. You can also move the single-point around to pick the subject, but I 've used my method since long before pre-digital days, and it serves me well, so why change.

There all manner of focus modes now of course, but I just don't trust "intelligent" focus to know what to focus on.

Astrophotography. Pretty much the only time I find autofocus is not sufficient

When you don't have enough light for auto to work, long exposures at night for example.

The only occasion I focus manually is if I happen to be using my m42 manual focus lenses.

I only use manual focus because you're not a real photographer if you use auto focus.

Just kidding.

I need to use it sometime when shooting macro.

I use it when the auto focus is turned off.

Seriously though, I do use it a lot. For example, if I'm shooting a hockey game. There's 16 players on the ice and thousands of fans. All at different distances. As good as cameras are, it doesn't know which person I want to take a picture of.

Or if I'm shooting fireworks or stars or something at night with a long exposure. In the dark the camera is going to have a harder time focusing on what I want because it can't see the thing I'm shooting.

I bought a manual 85mm prime lens for a Sony A7 series… and I have shot weddings with it as my primary lens. I’m a psycho, but enjoy full manual and now I’m just used to it.

I use manual focus for macro photos — when you’re dealing with focus that varies by millimeters, autofocus is just too unreliable.

As often as possible.

Astro photography! I also use it if I’m using one of my older bodies to make sure I’m hitting critical focus on the subjects eye (portrait). You are absolutely right that auto focus is so damn good now. I like to manual focus and have always enjoy shooting old analog film cameras. Although that is more just for nostalgia at this point and not for professional work ever.

Manual focus for film and astrophotography for me

I only shoot analog, and most of my photos are either taken on a Leica rangefinder, or a medium format SLR or rangefinder, so I almost always use manual focus. Now and then I shoot large format, which obviously is manual focus too.

Now and then I do bring out my modern Nikon F100 which I only use with autofocus lenses. Then I rely on autofocus, and it works fairly well.

Almost all the time. I prefer to use older manual focus lenses adapted to a Sony mirrorless body. I only use AF when I’m shooting action sports.

Landscapes, interiors, macro, product/still-life, etc. Pretty much whenever I’m on a tripod. With regard to landscapes, I use manual focus to nail hyper focal distance.

MF can be more accurate than AF on an (D)SLR. I use it when taking a portrait. Digital Zoom in all the way with Live View, set the MF.

When I’m shooting stop motions

I love manual focus to really get into the image I am producing. It gives 100% control over what I am doing and and subsequently an image I crafted instead of just pressing the shutter and letting the camera do the work ◡̈

Usually lenses without AF.

Occasionally if the camera is struggling e.g. foggy or focusing through a window / reflections.

My most commonly used camera is a Nikon FM, so pretty much all the time.

When I'm using my digital camera, I still use manual focus for macro stuff and concerts.

If the camera is on a tripod and the subject is at least moderately stationary, I will use manual focus. Macro is the common scenario.

Astrophotography. Or when I'm using a tripod and want to focus to remain constant.

Otherwise, I often use single point autofocus, where I point the camera at the thing I want in focus, and then frame the shot. I never liked to use the touchscreen or arrows keys for that.

Whenever I shoot with the 50/1.2 AI-S, because it doesn't have AF.

Every time because that is all I have.

I still like manual focus for still or mostly still subjects.

Macro, or when I want to focus on slender objects (thin stems, etc) that the camera refuses to focus on.

Astrophotography

I was always taught to use manual focus exclusively, unless you need a very quick shot in which you have no time to play with manual and your only option is to snap the photo with AF for the best possible outcome. Not to say you shouldn’t use autofocus otherwise, but taking the time to learn MF will improve your skills with your equipment, and results!☺️

Focus stacking with my macro lens. A bit different.. I guess, but that's me :)

Starscapes.

Depends on what subjects you shoot I guess. I almost never use it, mainly because I shoot a lot of nightlife/festivals/concerts and don't really have time to manually focus on things. Also do a lot of weddings and don't have that much time to manually focus either, apart from some moments or specific shots. But then again, autofocus is sufficient for these types of shots as well.

Been traveling for months and have been almost exclusively using the same manual focus 35mm lens (7artisans 1.4) for all my street photography. This was a purposeful choice though to force myself to engage more and have to focus on something manually, wish focus peaking worked a bit better on the A6500, great as a general guide but cant trust it fully. I shoot waist height with the screen facing up and use my thumb to shoot to avoid drawing to much attention while shooting in the street. Shot a great series of elderly men in Albania like this, really brought me back to photography for recreation rather than work.

There’s a button you can set when manually focusing that zooms in like 800x to help you see if you’re actually nailing the focus on your subject. After some practice it’s not too hard to toggle back and forth and snap the photo pretty quickly

I occasionally used manual focus during concert photography when my camera struggled a lot through the smoke and low light. I do use it when I have a vintage lens that doesn't allow AF. When I shoot pictures of tiny objects, I connect my camera to my computer and manual focus while using the screen zoomed in, but that's more for experimental things or to check out if a record player's needle is okay.

I only ever use manual focus for architecture. Mainly because tilt shift lenses don’t have the feature, understandably.